Stories From Our Readers...Coping With The Aftermath Of Irene

Many Connecticut residents are still without power and water, or their homes have been flooded or detroyed. We asked our readers to tell us their stories coping with the aftermath of Irene.

My family and I are still without power. No water and no electricity. This has been completely devastating to us and neighbors. This is 2011 not 1700's.

-- H. Smith, Guilford

SHAME on you CL&P and Malloy! If I ran my business like you run your utility or state, I would have been out of business before I even started. I say take power and water away from Malloy and the CL&P CEO until all the power is restored and see how fast they move.

-- Sue, Lyme, until I can pack up and move out of CT

You want lower rates and faster restoration? Well faster restoration costs more, just like more services means more taxes. Other areas of the country are restored even slower. Prepare for the storm. Go to a hotel. CL&P's costs for the storm are paid by us. More crews. Higher rates. You can't have it both ways!

-- Deborah, Portland

After struggling for five days of having no power, we had a glimmer of hope as the lights came on this evening. About fifteen minutes later we smelled something burning and after a little investigating we discovered the cable line on the outside of the house was smoking and melting. A visit by the local fire department and CL&P determined that the ground wires had been cut off all of our poles by thieves stealing copper to support their drug habits. They were forced to cut our power off again and we are not quite sure when we will have it again.

-- Christina, East Hampton

It amazes me that the governor has the nerve to tell us how hard CL&P is working to help us. Every morning since the storm, I see the line crews arrive at the Willimantic office @ 7 a.m. They stand around till about 8:30 a.m. then head out to the local restaurants. The only crews that I see working on power lines is the out-of-state workers. If you call getting paid to hang around for 2.5 hours every morning hard work, I guess I have been doing it wrong all this time.

-- Darcy, Hampton

The nice folks at Peregrine's Landing Memory Care in Clinton have had a sign out offering free coffee to anyone since Irene hit. I have heard from friends of mine in town that they are also letting the Fire Department and EMS take showers there long before the town opened the high school to the public for showers. I sat with them for awhile and they are doing a fantastic job with their people given the sircumstances. They have been without power since Saturday night and haven't skipped a beat since their generator kicked in. God Bless for everything you do for those people and are trying to do for the town.

-- Marc, Clinton

I work for CL&P. I haven't seen my family since Saturday and I'm so tired...but working hard to get people back just as fast as we humanly can. The public has no idea what a monumental task this is, and to hear all these things said about us is so disheartening. I give you my word Connecticut....we're trying!

-- CL&P Employee, Chester

CL&P is saying we won't be back up til Tuesday at 6 p.m. It's costing a fortune, eating out, buying (and trying to FIND) ice, candles, batteries, etc. I don't understand why the Red Cross doesn't distribute some very basic necessities like ice and candles. I live in Glastonbury, where it's about 75 percent restored, I'm just part of the unlucky 25 percent. Had power for 20 minutes on Tuesday night, then a tremendous BOOM. Apparently, a transformer blew. Crews returned in the morning and got some power restored, but the rest of us are SOL, until, ALLEGEDLY, next Tuesday. :(

-- Hadda, Glastonbury

We all want to know how in hell CL&P can even suggest that they are thinking about raisng rates when people are still without power and the state has yet to recover. You wonder why people lose the minds and patience. This really sucks and you (the Courant ) should hammer them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- Susan, Higganum

I work for CL&P and we are doing our very best....no one took heed of the warnings which told CT to prepare for the worst since weather reports informed of massive rains and winds....it's a HURRICANE...WE are working day and night to get 700,000 customers restored we have about 200,000 left...we do understand how difficult it is many of us have no power....its so much more then a line or pole repair.

-- Maya, Glastonbury

Still no power in many Colchester homes. Wires down along road on West Rd. Pole snapped in half. No trucks or workers around. CL&P did a very poor job preparing for aftermath.

-- Joe, Colchester

Video I shot during and after storm showing POV compare and contrast around Groton Long Point, CT.